Good Grief - fares from the USA!

[Flying mermaid]

So Master FM let me know today that he will be able to come home late November for a week. Immediately hopped onto Qantas to look at fares - cheapest business class is around $18,000! I think he will be flying PE this time! However I booked a fare for him to come home at Christmas last year and probably booked it about 3 weeks out and it was only $11,000. This seems a huge increase - any idea why or has demand just picked up that much so that they can charge the extra?

 

[TomVexille]

Wouldn't think it should affect fares to Australia, but he's not travelling around Thanksgiving is he? It's the busiest time in the USA for travel (far busier than Christmas).

 

[Flying mermaid]

Wouldn't think it should affect fares to Australia, but he's not travelling around Thanksgiving is he? It's the busiest time in the USA for travel (far busier than Christmas).

He is actually - I am trying to book about a week before but you wouldn't think it would have that much of an effect. Maybe it all those Software engineers in silicon valley doing the same as he is. I can book a first class round the world for about the same price. Anyway about to check expert flyer to see which flight might give him the best chance of an upgrade to J and then book Y +. I went and checked a few travel agent sites in case it was Qantas' site going crazy, but even Air NZ and Virgin are pretty fancy prices for J!

 

[RooFlyer]

OW Circle Pacific fare might be worth looking at. When direct fares have bumped up before, CP is usually OK. That's Qantas and their oneWorld mates giving one an cheaper alternative, while still keeping it 'in house'. Extra cost of a night in HKG or NRT, but still a good saving to be had.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Does QF have details on the circle Pacific fares ? Can't seem to find it on their website. Also tried calling QF and was told I couldn't book flight to Toronto via, Hong Kong on CX returning on QF via DFW. But I'm sure a circle Pacific fare would allow this.

 

[Flying mermaid]

OW Circle Pacific fare might be worth looking at. When direct fares have bumped up before, CP is usually OK. That's Qantas and their oneWorld mates giving one an cheaper alternative, while still keeping it 'in house'. Extra cost of a night in HKG or NRT, but still a good saving to be had.

Thanks for that - will keep it in mind for the future. At the moment just want to get him home for max time, so have booked him in PE and put in for upgrades. He only has a week off. Business is very full, so unlikely ( and First was pretty full as well), so I guess they can charge max fares for the few remaining seats

 

[Flying mermaid]

Does QF have details on the circle Pacific fares ? Can't seem to find it on their website. Also tried calling QF and was told I couldn't book flight to Toronto via, Hong Kong on CX returning on QF via DFW. But I'm sure a circle Pacific fare would allow this.

Thanks for taking the time

 

[Limewood]

Should I say it... JQ J (PE) HNL to OZ is a daylight flight so get him there in any class and bingo he's home.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Should I say it... JQ J (PE) HNL to OZ is a daylight flight so get him there in any class and bingo he's home.

all these fantastic ideas . Filing away for next time. After picking myself off the floor and deciding I wasn't paying those prices for him, I just whipped in and booked PE ....

 

[docjames]

FJ in J may have been an option too.

 

[RooFlyer]

Does QF have details on the circle Pacific fares ? Can't seem to find it on their website. Also tried calling QF and was told I couldn't book flight to Toronto via, Hong Kong on CX returning on QF via DFW. But I'm sure a circle Pacific fare would allow this.

Yes, it does. And how typical for QF not to know! Its on the OW site. There's even a picture (OK, KUL and LAX not HKG and DFW but ...)

 

[SeatBackForward]

Yes, it does. And how typical for QF not to know! Its on the OW site. There's even a picture (OK, KUL and LAX not HKG and DFW but ...)

View attachment 58871

Thanks might have a crack at getting this, ticketed ex-HKG sometime soon.

 

[RichardMEL]

I would have looked at FJ or even NZ (I know, non oneworld, but a decent product and usually a very decent price)

 

[love_the_life]

For interest FM what were Y fares?

 

[TomVexille]

I would have looked at FJ or even NZ (I know, non oneworld, but a decent product and usually a very decent price)

The OP did check NZ

And VA for that matter

 

[Flying mermaid]

For interest FM what were Y fares!

Y was around aus$4,500. Saver was still available coming over, but only flex going back. I ended up paying a bit under $8,000 for Y+ sfo-syd-cbr return. . and yes I did check Virgin and Air New Zealand and they were bad as well. I don't mind spending on the ankle biters, but this was insane! I am very much a book early and get sales fares, but Master FM had to wait and see how the latest release went, before he knew whether he could come home or not. I think the moral of the story is if you want to travel around thanksgiving, book very very early!

 

[serfty]

Current ex USA xCIRnn base fares are as follows:

For business, you need D class on the flights (will book into A for 2 Class USA domestic).
Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Fare Information Search:

Departing LAX on 27/11/15 for LAX, Flying QF, Purchasing at LAX, Viewing in currency USD

Fare Basis  Airline  Booking  Trip Type   Fare           Cabin  Effective  Expiration  Min/Max  Advanced
                     Class                                      Date       Date        Stay     Purchase Req
LCIR22      QF       L        Round-Trip  4500.00 (USD)  E                             10 / 12M 
LCIR26      QF       L        Round-Trip  5400.00 (USD)  E                             10 / 12M 
LCIR29SA    QF       L        Round-Trip  5900.00 (USD)  E                             10 / 12M 
DCIR22      QF       D        Round-Trip  9300.00 (USD)  B                             05 / 12M 
DCIR26      QF       D        Round-Trip  11200.00 (USD) B                             05 / 12M 
DCIR29SA    QF       D        Round-Trip  12300.00 (USD) B                             05 / 12M 
ACIR22      QF       A        Round-Trip  12700.00 (USD) F                             05 / 12M 
ACIR26      QF       A        Round-Trip  15200.00 (USD) F                             05 / 12M 
ACIR29SA    QF       A        Round-Trip  16000.00 (USD) F                             05 / 12M

 

[Mike65]

Just flew MEL-LAX (QF93) in PE and LAX-MEL (QF94) in J, both points upgrade from Y. Pretty disappointed with the PE offering, particularly the food. Hardly worth 45,000 points let alone $2-2.5k hard earned (YMMV of course).

 

[Sprucegoose]

Did you check F price ?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Did you check F price ?

Yes I did - I think it was about 20,000 US$